These forests, put up for sale by a local logging company, were threatened by conversion to industrial agriculture.

The land owner and manager, Programme for Belize (PfB), manages the land for conservation as part of the broader Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area (RBCMA), which is the second largest protected area in Belize.

Co-Benefits:

The RBCMA is home to 200 species of trees, 350 species of birds, 70 species of mammals and 39 species of conservation concern including the jaguar, puma, margay, ocelot, the howler and spider monkeys.

The RBCMA is also home to more than 60 Mayan ruins and Belize’s third largest Mayan site, La Milpa.

The RBCMA houses two ecolodges and provides full time employment for about 20-25 employees, including rangers, tour guides, cooks, and maintenance workers.